We Still Belong

I saw We Still Belong by Christine Day won the 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Award winner for best Middle Grade Book and so got it from the library.  I've been meaning to read a Christine Day book for awhile, so I'm glad I finally got around to it! The book description says, "Wesley is proud of the poem she wrote for Indigenous Peoples’ Day—but the reaction from a teacher makes her wonder if expressing herself is important enough. And due to the specific tribal laws of her family’s Nation, Wesley is unable to enroll in the Upper Skagit tribe and is left feeling “not Native enough.” Through the course of the novel, with the help of her family and friends, she comes to embrace her own place within the Native community."

This was a light-hearted read with some important lessons, and it helped me understand Native American culture a little better (things like blood quantum laws). I liked Wesley as a character and appreciated the moments where she made an effort to be kind to those around her. This was a sweet book overall.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)